"Michael Moorcock - City of the Beast" - читать интересную книгу автора (Moorcock Michael)

flicker of movement and stopped just short of
Johnny's chest.

Johnny copied himтАФand was parried with equal
swiftness. We were amazed and delighted by this
time. Here was a man who would have been a
good match for Rupert of Hentzau.

After a while M. Clarchet stopped and shook his
head. "It ees no good with thees slicksтАФwe must
have real foils, non? Come!"

We followed him into the house. It was well fur-
nished though not lavishly. In a special room at the
top we found more to make us gasp.

Here was an array of blades such as we'd never
even imagined! Now I know them to be foils and
epees and sabres, plus a collection of fine, antique
weaponsтАФclaymores, scimitars, Samurai swords,
broadswords, Roman short swordsтАФthe gladiusтАФ
and many, many more.

M. Clarchet waved a hand at the fascinating dis-
play of weapons. "Zere! My collection. Zey are
sweet, ze little swords, non?" He took down a small
rapier and handed it to me, handing a similar
sword to Johnny. It felt really good, holding that
well-balanced sword in my hand. I flexed my wrist,
not quite able to get the balance. M. Clarchet took
my hand and showed me the correct way of grasp-
ing it.


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"How would you like to learn properly?" said M.
Clarchet with a wink. "I could teach you much."

Was it possible? We were going to be allowed to
wield these swordsтАФtaught how to sword-fight like
the best. I was amazed and delightedтАФuntil a
thought struck me, and I frowned.

"OhтАФwe don't have any money, sir. We couldn't
pay you and our moms and pops aren't likely toтАФ
they're mean enough as it is."